Nugget Point is a top Instagram photo opportunity in the Catlins and is usually the first stop for most visitors. It can get busy due to the short, easy walk to the lighthouse, where you can enjoy views of The Nuggets to the east of the point. Like That Wānaka Tree, with its cliff-edge lighthouse, Nugget Point has become a popular spot for experimenting with digital filters, as capturing the perfect light can be unpredictable during your trip through the region.
Advertised as a side trip from the Southern Scenic Route, Nugget Point features two easy 20-minute return walks from the car park near the end of The Nuggets Road. The first is spectacular and leads to a viewing platform over adjacent Tokata Point and The Nuggets, next to the lighthouse at the tip of a steep headland. The second walk heads to Roaring Bay with a viewing platform and bird hide. Numerous seabirds around the point include gannets, royal spoonbills, and a large breeding colony of kekeno (fur seals). Hoiho (yellow-eyed penguins) may be seen from the hide. However, this requires patience as the opportunity is either end of the day and the numbers are small. Early dawn is the best option.
When Europeans arrived, Nugget Point was dangerous for boats navigating the coast and the Clutha River and Catlins River entrances on either side of the point. The lighthouse was built in 1869 and began operating in 1870. Constructed from locally quarried stone, the tower stands 76 meters (249 feet) above the water. Initially powered by an oil burner, it was converted to electricity in 1949. The lighthouse was automated in 1989 and is now computer-monitored and operated by Maritime New Zealand. It is fenced off from the walking track.
Heading south from Balclutha on the Southern Scenic Route, take Kaka Point Road to Kaka Point on the coast. The road continues south down the coast as Esplanade, then becomes The Nuggets Road. It is a 23 km deviation and takes about 30 minutes. From Nugget Point, you can return along Nugget Point Road, then turn west onto Karoro Creek Road, then northwest on Ahuriri Flat Road to reconnect with the Southern Scenic Route. Owaka is a few minutes away to the southwest. From there, you can easily access the rest of the Catlins.
Another option is to turn southwest onto Ahuriri Flat Road. This gravel road with spectacular views takes you to Cannibal Bay. After visiting the bay, continue northwest on the road to the Southern Scenic Highway and Okawa.
